


where you are

by AtlantisRises



Series: things you remembered, things you forgot [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Post-Canon, Some nasty violence implied, but nothing onscreen, not canon as of ep 67
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-24 20:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10749147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtlantisRises/pseuds/AtlantisRises
Summary: Because, like, the thing about forgetting a century of your life and then suddenly remembering is that sometimes, later,  you forget that you remember. It takes some time to get back into the habit of thinking those thoughts. And Merle, he’s glad to remember, he really is, but there isn’t much missing from those days that he hasn’t gotten back.Taako though. Well.***OR: The boys remember. Taako rushes in





	where you are

_Isn’t this supposed to be Magnus’ thing?_ is all Merle can think, hunkered down in the saddle of a very old, borrowed nag. She obviously does not appreciate his weight, or that of the little half-elf kid clinging to the back of his shirt.

Magnus is thinking along the same lines, if the tight, anxious line of his shoulders hunched over the other horse is anything to go by.

_Magnus plays the hero. Magnus rushes in. Taako…_

It isn’t like Taako to run ahead like this, especially to rescue someone else’s kid. It really isn’t like him to burn a spell slot on Phantom Steed so he can get to the danger even fucking faster. Neither Merle’s nag nor Magnus’s equally over-burdened old grey had any chance of keeping up with Garyl, and his bright streaming tail disappeared over a hill about ten minutes ago.

_Still._

The kid behind him sniffles loud and buries his head into the back of Merle’s shoulder. Merle thinks he can feel him shaking, and _Pan dammit_ he’s never been any good at this.

“Listen, kid,” he tries. The sniffling increases in pitch and breaks on a low, muffled sob. “Now, don’t cry, come on. I just got this jacket cleaned.” Another sob. “Ok you’re right. Not the point. Point is, it’s all gonna be fine. You’re sister’s gonna be fine. My buddy Taako’s gonna bring her back safe and sound.”

“You…y-you promise?”

“Come on kid, I’m a man o’ god. I wouldn’t lie to you,” says Merle, and up ahead Magnus’ shoulders twitch. In any other circumstance, they'd both have laughed. Now though… _well_. It doesn’t have to be a lie, does it? From what the kid told them when they first found him, beaten, on the outskirts of Neverwinter, there were only four or five men in the gang that took his sister. What are the odds, really, that any of them are at a high enough level to give Taako trouble?

 _Fuckin’ what indeed_ , Merle thinks, just as a massive fireball curls out over the top of the ridge ahead.

***

They find Taako in the middle of a smoking wreck, bleeding from a nasty gash over one eye. Whatever cart or wagon the little gang was driving, it’s so much ash now, and the air is thick with the unmistakable scent of charred flesh. There are hoofbeats retreating off into the distance, and a nasty pile of something at Taako’s feet that Merle doesn’t want to look too closely at.

Taako himself is completely still, and ain’t that fucking something? There’s a half-elf girl a few feet behind him, holding a broken axel like a staff and looking blessedly unharmed. She cries out as they approach, but Taako doesn’t move.

Merle is preoccupied for a moment with trying to keep his co-rider from leaping off the back of the horse before it's come to a full stop. As soon as the boy's feet hit the ground he goes flying forward, all skinny knees and stumbling, and throws himself into the girl’s arms. For a long moment his sobs and her gentle "hush, hush, it's ok," are the only sound, and then Magnus clears his throat and-

“Dude. What the actual fuck?”

“Hmm?” Taako’s shoulder’s lift a little bit, then fall, and finally he turns around. He’s smiling, but his voice is distant. So are his eyes. “Hey there, bubbuleh, nice of you to finally join us.”

“What the hell was that, asshole? You split the party! That’s how you get yourself killed!”

Taako chuckles, and that, too, seems wrong, like it’s coming from far away. Merle tries to meet his eyes but they’re focused on the handle of his Umbra staff as he twirls it idly over one wrist.

Magnus’ hands clench and unclench in frustration, and any other time Merle might rib him for it, because frankly he’s being a hypocrite and it’s funny as all hell. Right now, though, he just wants to make sure Taako and the kids are okay and head back to Neverwinter for a fucking drink. He steps between Magnus and Taako, wooden arm outstretched.

Taako finally looks at him and smirks, and it’s a bit of a relief because that at least is a normal look for him. “Worried, old man?”

“Just fucking let me heal you so we can get out of here before I barf. This smell is awful.”

“Eh?” Taako looks around, like he’s forgotten where he’s standing. Looks down. Laughs a little, bell-like, empty. “Jeez, we did a number on this guy.”

“We?” asks Merle, and Taako sort of…pulls the Umbra Staff close to his chest. It isn’t exactly a hug, but his grip on the handle tightens until his knuckles show white and he looks over Merle’s head at the half-elf siblings still embracing and oh. _Oh_.

Because, like, the thing about forgetting a century of your life and then suddenly remembering is that sometimes, later, you forget that you remember. It takes some time to get back into the habit of thinking those old thoughts. And Merle, he’s glad to remember, he really is, but there isn’t much missing from those days that he hasn’t gotten back.

Taako though. _Well_.

Maybe Magnus is thinking the same thing, because the tight line of his shoulders droops and his eyebrows draw up a little in the middle. He takes a step forward and brings one big hand up to hover awkwardly before resting it lightly on Taako’s shoulder.

Taako turns to him and he looks…confused. The empty look is gone but his eyes are big and a little scared and it isn’t Taako, not at all, except maybe in the way that he’s still trying to smirk around all of it. He laughs, and it’s broken, and he shakes his head. “Don’t look at me like that, Maggie, come on. Come on.” He swipes a bit of blood away from his eye. “Let’s go get that drink.”

“Yeah, buddy,” says Magnus, squeezing Taako’s shoulder once and then dropping his hand. He turns to go back to his horse, doesn’t notice the way that Taako sags a little bit as soon as he's gone. Merle sidles up.

“Not…not now, old man. I just fucking toasted a dude. I’m not in the mood for anything but a heal and a beer.”

Merle snorts. “Wasn’t gonna say nothin’, kid. Just, y’know, that little boy was worried shitless. You did a good thing today.” He risks a glance at the charred pile at their feet. _Nasty_. But: “those assholes deserved what they got.”

“They took his sister,” says Taako, and he pulls the Umbra Staff in close again. Merle wonders if he realizes he’s doing it. “They fucking..they took his sister.”

They both turn to look at the kids. Magnus is trying to shepherd them onto two different horses, but they refuse to let go of each other’s hands.

“Yeah, Taako,” says Merle. “Yeah. And you got her back.”

"Right," says Taako, and lets the umbrella drop to his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look it's my first fic in this fandom! And on this website! Comments would, like, feed my soul a little bit.
> 
> This is set in some nebulous time after the defeat of The Hunger. I imagine the boys have more time to hang out and help randos?
> 
> POST EPISODE 67 EDIT: thank god I was wrong about this, tbh.
> 
> Also: title from the Mark Doty poem because idk.


End file.
